Muslim Brotherhood 'will not be dragged into violence'

A senior Muslim Brotherhood official in Egypt has said that the movement “will not be dragged into violence” after the political murder of 13 of his colleagues in October Sixth City, Alamatonline.com reported on Friday.

Speaking to Anadolu, Jamal Hashmat said that he expects to see the assassination of those opposed to the military coup following the demand by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi for stricter laws to be able to carry out death sentences without delay.

Hashmat challenged the narrative of the Egyptian authorities and mass media regarding the assassination of the Public Prosecutor earlier this week, noting that forensic reports contradict the official line. He reiterated his belief that Al-Sisi is the “beneficiary” of the assassination.

When asked about the 13 Brotherhood officials killed by the security services in the wake of the prosecutor’s assassination and the series of attacks in Sinai, Hashmat said that the story put out by the security services is completely false. He explained that the men were arrested in different locations and taken to the apartment where they were all killed. The security services, he claimed, do not have any witnesses to confirm or deny their version of events.

Meanwhile, Hashmat denied any link between the Brotherhood and the Sinai attacks, saying that the group is likely to remain peaceful despite the aggression of the government. Nevertheless, he insisted that the group retains the right to defend itself against the military’s attacks on its leaders and members.